It was Earnhardt's first Sprint Cup Series win since mid-2012 at Michigan -- a winless spell of 55 races.

The victory also almost assured that Earnhardt would earn a berth in NASCAR's Chase for the Cup title playoff in the fall, under new rules implemented this season that put a greater emphasis on wins to reach the playoff.

There was another pileup 16 laps later in the same turn when Dillon, who had returned to the race, touched the Chevrolet of Kyle Larson. That wreck also collected Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers and Marcos Ambrose.